Slat-and-wire-fence machine.



No. 680,399. Patented Aug. 13, l90l.

W. F. SEARGEANT. SLAT AND WIRE FENCE MACHINE.

(Application filed Dec. 19, 1900.]

3 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

Seaway 2?;

Wiimweo Jw I N0. 680,399. Patented Aug. I3, I90].

W. F. SEARGEANT.

SLAT AND WIRE FENCE MACHINE.

(Application filed Dec. 19, 1900.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 2 (No Model.)

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No. 680,399. Patented Aug. l3, I90l. W. F. SEABGEANT. SLAT AND WIREFENCE MACHINE. I

(Application filed. Dec. 19, 1900.) (No Model.) 3 Sheets$heet 3.

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NITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

\VILLIAM F. $EARGEANT, OF MARSHALL, MISSOURI.

SLAT-AND-WlRE-FENCE MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 680,399, dated August13, 1901. Application filed December 19, 1900. Serial No. 40,419. (Nomodel.)

To all whont it may concern:

Be it known that I,WILLIAM F. SEARGEANT, a citizenof the UnitedStates,residing at Marshall, in the county of Saline and State ofMissouri, have invented new and useful Improvements inSlat-and-l/Vire-Fence Machines, of

i which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvem entsinfence-machines of the character described in my pending application,Serial No. 40,418, filed December 19, 1900, and has for its principalobjects to provide a novel form of wire-twister and wirespacingmechanism, to provide novel means for adjusting the tension of thedrive-chain, and to provide a novel construction of wirestrainingdevice.

In addition to the above other objects of the invention may be stated torelate to im provements in details of construction whereby I aim toproduce a fence-machine which shall be simple in construction andoperation, durable in service, and one which may be economicallymanufactured.

WVith these objects in view the invention resides in the parts andcombination of parts hereinafter described, and particularly pointed outin the claims.

I have illustrated the invention in the accompanying drawings, whereinFigure 1 is a front view of the upright. Fig. 2 is a similar viewshowing the journal-bearings for the twisters secured in the upright.Fig. 3 is a front view of the complete machine. Fig. 4 is a side view ofthe complete machine. Fig. 5 is a sectional plan view, enlarged, takenon the line 5 5 of Fig. 4, the crank being shown raised to a horizontalposition. Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view through the upright andone ofthe wire-.twisters and showing in a detached View the sprocketwheelremoved from the twister. Fig. 7 is a plan view of one end of thetwister-head. Fig. 8 is a similar view of the opposite end of the same.Figs. 9 and 10 are side views of the twister-head, showing the same indifferent positions. Figs. 11 and 12 are views, respectively, of adetail of the wire-twister and a modification thereof. Fig. 13 is afront elevation, enlarged, of the journal for the twister. Fig. 14 is aside view of the same. Fig. 15 is a rear elevation, in enlarged view,

'ture through the end of the upright.

of a sprocket-wheel. Fig. 16 is a side view of the straining device.view of the same. Fig. 18 is a detail view of a tension-bolt. Fig. 19 isa bottom plan view of the same, and Fig. 20 is a perspective view ofthepicket-rest.

Referring now to the drawings, the numeral 1 indicates the upright,which is shaped from a plank of a suitable length and thickness.

Said plank or upright is provided with four circular apertures 2 for thepurpose of receiving the journal-l'vearings 3. (Shown in Figs. 2, 13,and 14.) These apertures are preferably located as s'hownthat is to say,an

Fig. 17 is a plan aperture is located near the top and bottom of theupright, a third aperture is located about centrally thereof, and thefourth midway between the central and lowermost apertures. The centraland 'upper apertures are connected by a slot 4', while short slots 5 ofthe same width as the slot 4 extend, respectively, from the upper sidesof the upper and lower apertures, from the lower side of the centralaperture, and from the upper and lower sides of the aperture immediatelybelow the central aperture. A slot 6 extends from the under side of thelowermost aper- Each of the apertures 2 has its upper side out out toafford a small semicircular recess 7.

Each of the journal-bearings for the twisters comprises a ring 8,extending from the snugly in the slots 4 or 5 and the recesses '7,

respectively. The upright is provided with a series of transverseapertures 14. (Shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1.) The journal-bearings 3are fitted in place in the upright in the manner shown in Fig. 2 and aresecured in place by means of bolts 15, passed through the apertures 14and the apertures 10 in the tongues 9. In the present case the flange 13is disposed on the front side of the upright, as shown.

Referring now to Figs. 6 to 10, each of the twisters comprises atwister-head having a cylindrical portion 16, which is of a diameter tojournal snugly in the ring 8 of the journalbearing, and an annularflanged portion or head 17, overlapping and abutting against the rearedge of the ring 3, which lies flush with the side of the upright. Onopposite sides of the twister-head are provided radial slots 18, whichcut through the flange 17 and extend part way into the cylindricalportion or journal 16 and are adapted to receive the wires to be twistedabout the pickets. The portion of the slots in the flange or head 17 isenlarged in a circular form, as indicated at 19. The numeral 20indicates a groove provided in the head of the twister and extendingdown a short distance in the journal 16, as shown best in Fig. 10, saidgroove connecting or forming a continuation of the upper part of theWire-slots 18. Extending longitudinally through the twister-head is anaperture 21. Formed in the bottom of the twister-head and extending atright angles to the groove 20 is a cross-groove 22. The numeral 23indicates a sprocket-wheel (shown enlarged in Fig. 15) having a flatside for bearing smoothly and frictionally against the flanged end ofthe ring 8 and provided with a central aperture 24:. Located centrallyof the sprocket-wheel, on its flat side, is a rectangular projection 25of the same length and size of the cross-groove 22, in which it isadapted to be received. On opposite sides of this projection thesprocketwheel is provided with enlarged substantially egg-shapedapertures 26, the purpose of which will presently appear.

In Figs. 11 and 12 I have shown two forms of a combined clamping-boltand wire-spacer employed to fasten the parts of the twister together.That form shown in Fig. 11 is shown combined with the twister in Fig. 6.This device comprises a bar 27, having a screw-threaded end 28, and atits opposite end having an integral flat cross-plate 29, the outer endsof which are preferably rounded, as indicated at The outer ends of thecross-plate 29 are provided with transverse circular recesses 31 for thereception of antifriction rollers 32, the recesses 31, cut through theends of the cross-plate, leaving a space in each instance for the rollerto project through, said spaces being smaller than the diameter of therollers to prevent them from being pulled edgewise out of the recesses.In securing the parts of the twister together bar 27 is passed throughthe aperture 21 in the twister-head and through the aperture 24 in thesprocket-wheel, the cross-plate 29 lying in the groove 20, its outeredge being flush with the face of the head or flange 17 and theprojection 25 fitting in the crossgroove 22. A nut 33 is then screwed onthe end 28 of bar 27 and the parts described thus firmly clampedtogether to move as a whole.

The ends of the cross-plate 29 project slightly beyond the bottoms ofthe grooves 18, and the wires 34, which are passed through the openings26 in the sprocket-wheel and through the wire-slots 13 in thetwister-head, are thus held by the rollers 32 out of cont-act with thebottoms of said slots and are in frictional engagement with said rollersonly, and thereby their passage through the twister as they are twistedabout the pickets is rendered easy and the force required to operate themachine consequently diminished. The cross-plate 35 of Fig. 12 diltersfrom that just described in that the rollers 32 are omitted and thewires slide over the rounded ends 30. It is obvious that by having anumber of bars 27 provided with cross-plates of different lengths I canincrease or diminish the space between the wires 34 within certainlimits by employing the bar having the cross-plate of the desiredlength. When the cross-plate 29 having the rollers is in place in thegroove 20, the walls of said groove will prevent the rollers fromworking out of their recesses.

The twisters as a whole, each comprising the twister-head andsprocketwheel connected in the manner described, are rotatably mountedin the journal-bearings 3. The apertures 26 are of sufficient size toprevent the wires from rubbing against their edges in passing throughthe twisters in the twisting operation and they are also large enough topermit an ordinary splice in the wire to be passedthrough them. In orderthat a splice may be passed over, the twister is revolved until one orthe other of the enlarged openings 19 is brought to coincide with therecess 12 in 'the ring 3, when the twister can readily be passed overthe wire by moving the machine forward, owing to the larger openingpresented, the wire being temporarily sprung out of the slot 18, as willbe understood. By interposing the flange 13 of the jou rnal-bearingsbetween the upright and the bearing-face of the sprocket-wheel the teethof the sprocket wheel will be thrown well away from the upright and inline with the driving sprocket-wheel hereinafter described. To this endthe sprocket-wheels are in addition madeof a coucavo-convex shape, asshown.

v The numeral 36 indicates an arm, preferably tapering toward its outerend, as shown, for supporting the driving mechanism for thesprocket-chain of the machine. At its wide end this arm is 'apertured toreceive a bolt cates a clamping-plate having apertures near oppositeends.

In securing the arm 36 on the upright the bolt 37 is passed through theaperture therein, the slot 4 of the upright, and the aperture at one endof the clamping-plate 42, after which a nut 43 is screwed on its end tohear more or less firmly against the plate 42. The bolt 40 passesthrough the aperture in the upper end of said plate and is secured bymeans of a nut 44. Nuts 43 and 44 mayboth be tightened to clamp arm 36in place; but nut 44 is principally used for this purpose, as it isdesigned by loosening this nut to turn the arm 36 on bolt 37 as a pivotto adjusted positions for the purpose of securing the proper tension ofthe sprocket-chain 45. A greater adjustment of the arm 36 for thispurpose can be effected by loosening the nuts 43 and 44 and moving saidarm bodily upward or downward, the bolts 37 and 40 sliding in the slot4. At its outer end the plate 36 is provided with an integral stud orjournal 46, Fig. 5.

The humeral 47 indicates the driving sprocket-gear, having a central hub48 journaled on the stud 46. The hub 48 projects slightly from the innerface of the sprocketwheel in order to hold said sprocketwheel away fromthe arm 36. The outer face of the sprocket-wheel 47 is provided with asemicircular projection 49 and a stud 50, located, respectively, ondiametrically opposite sides of the wheel near the edge thereof.

The numeral 51 indicates the crankarm for turning the drivingsprocket-wheel 47, said arm being offset at 52 to carry it free of thetwisters. At its outer end this arm is provided with an enlargedflattened portion or head 53, having an aperture to receive the stud 46,so that the head 53 will lie flush against the outer face of thesprocket-wheel 47. At its outer end the head 53 is provided with asemicircular recess 54, which receives the projection 49, and near theoffset portion 52 with an aperture 55 for receiving the stud 50. Bymeans of a washer 56 and a bolt 57, passed through said washer, and thestud 46 and arm 36, which latter parts are provided with a commonaperture for the purpose, the sprocket-wheel and crank-arm are held inplace on the stud. A nut 58 secures the bolt 57. The projection 49 andstud 50 insure a firm engagement between the sprocketwheel and crank, sothat the former may be turned by the latter. By means of thesprocket-chain 45 (shown in dotted lines) passed about the severalsprocket-wheels 23 and the driving sprocket-wheel 47 all of the twistersmay be simultaneously revolved by turning the crank-arm 51. I

In Figs. 3 and 4 I have shown applied to the upright, and in Fig. 20have shown in detail, a slightlydiiferent construction of picket-restfrom that disclosed in my companion application referred to, although inessential respects they are the samethat is to say, the present devicecomprises a metal plate 59 of a thickness to fit snugly in the space 6of the upright and having its upper edge recessed to receive the bottomtongue 9 of the lowermost journal-bearing and being provided with anaperture whereby it may be secured in position by the bolt 60, passedtransversely through the upright. In the present case, however, theplate 61, constituting the support, has extending upward from it aflange 62, which is of the same width as the plate 61 at its lowerend,but tapers upwardly to the top of the plate 59 and to the same width asthe latter, as shown in Fig. 20. The parts of the picket-rest areintegrally connected, said picket-rest being formed at a single casting.The flange 62 and the inner end of the plate 61 abut against the face ofthe upright and assist in firmly bracing the picket-rest in place. Whenit is desired that the pickets should rest upon the ground, thepicket-rest may be secured in the upright to extend in the reversedirection to that shown in Fig. 4.

In Figs. 16 to 19 I have illustrated the parts pertaining to a strainingdevice forimparting the proper tension to the wires to be twisted. Thisdevice comprises a rectangular block 63 of metal having its upper sidecorrugated to provide two transverse recesses 64, located near oppositeends of the block. Centrally of these recesses are provided openings 65.The corrugations also provide two rounded surfaces 66, one at each endof the block, and a central rounded surface 67. Two wire-slots 68 areprovided in upward projections 69, located at opposite ends of the block63, which slots prevent the wires from slipping off of the block. Figs.18 and 19 illustrate the tension-bolt. This bolt comprises ascrew-threaded shank 70 and a cross-head 71, round in cross-section, thewhole device having the shape of the letter T. The numeral 72 indicatesa tension-plate, which is bent to conform exactly to the curvatures ofthe upper side of the block 63, as clearly shown. The tension-plate 72is of the same width as the block 63 and is of a length equal to thedistance between the guards 69 at opposite ends of the block. Said plateis also provided with apertures corresponding to the apertures in saidblock. The under side of the block 63 is flat, as shown, and to thisunder side is applied a rubber plate 73. Tension-bolts are then passedthrough the tension-plate 72, apertures 65 in the block 63, and throughsuitable apertures in the rubber plate 73, washers 74 are inserted onthe shanks thereof, and nuts 75 are then screwed on each shank. Thecrossheads 71 engaging in the recesses of the tension-plate 72 willprevent turning of the tension-bolts as the nuts 75 are screwed on. Thewires pass between the upper surface of the block 63 and the undersurface of the tension-plate 72, and by turning nuts 75 saidtension-plate may be made to clamp the wires more or less firmly, sothat the necessary resistance may be offered to their passage throughthe straining device as they are twisted about the pickets. At the sametime the pressure of the tension-plate upon the wires is yielding, owingto the provision of the rubber plate 7 3, so that said tension-plate mayreadily yield to allow for unevenness in the wires. Projecting from oneend of the block 63 are two flat spaced parallel arms 76, locatedbetween which is a grooved pulley 7 7, journaled on a pin 78, secured insaid arms. Over this pulley is passed a rope (not shown) to be tied to asuitable post or to a tree and by pulling on which rope the properstrain may be imparted to the wires, as will be understood. The arms 76are of a width to extend between the two slots 68, so that the wires maypass down on either side of said arms between the end of the block andthe pulley '77. The corrugated character of the block 63 and thetension-plate 72 renders it very easy to impart the necessary pressureupon the wires, owing to the tortuous passage they are compelled to takein passing through the straining device.

It will be noticed that in the present case I dispense with thebumper-plates described in my companion case for forcing the pickets toposition, the present arrangement contemplating the direct contact ofthe heads 17 of A the twisters with the pickets for this purpose.

Having thus described myinvention, what I claim is- 1. In afence-machine, an upright having a series of circular openings fromopposite sides of each of which extend slots, a journalbearing securedin each of said openings and comprising a ring having on opposite sidestongues located in said slots and provided around one edge with anannular flange for engaging the face of the upright, a twister revolublymounted in the ring of each journal-bearing, and means for revolvingsaid twisters, substantially as described.

2. In a fence-machine, in combination with an upright, a series oftwisters j ournaled therein, each of which comprises a twisterheadhaving a central aperture and in its opposite sides radial wire-slotsconnected by a groove formed in one end of the twister-head, asprocket-wheel abutting against the opposite end of the twister-head andhaving a central aperture and wire-openings, a bolt passed through theapertures in said twister-head and sprocket-wheel and having a nutscrewed on one end, and a cross-plate at the other end of said boltlying in said groove, and means for revolving said sprocket-wheels,substantially as described.

3. In a fence-machine, in combination with an upright, a series oftwisters journaled therein, each of which comprises a twisterhead havinga central aperture and in its opposite sides radial wire-slots connectedby a groove formed in one end of the twister-head,

a cross-groove formed in the opposite end of the twister-head, asprocket-wheel abutting against said latter end and having a projectionengaging in said cross-groove andprovided with a central aperture andwith wireopenings, a bolt passed through the apertures in saidtwister-head and sprocket-wheel and having a nut screwed on one end, anda crossplate at the other end of said bolt lying in said groove, andmeans for revolving said sprocket-wheels, substantially as described.

4. In a fence-machine, in combination with an upright, a series oftwisters journaled therein, each of which comprises a twisterheadhavinga journal provided with a flanged head and having a centralaperture extending through the twister-head and in its opposite sidesradial wire-slots connected by a groove formed in and extending acrosssaid head, a sprocket-wheel abutting against the end of said journal andhaving a central aperture and wire openings, a bolt passed through theapertures in said twister-head and sprocket-wheel and havinga nutscrewed on one end, and a cross-plate at the other end of said boltlying in said groove and having rounded ends projecting beyond thebottoms of said wire-slots, and means for revolving saidsprocket-wheels, substantially as described.

5. In a fence-machine, in combination with an upright, a series oftwisters journaled therein, each of which comprises a twisterheadhavinga journal provided with a flanged head and having a centralaperture extending through the twister-head and in its opposite sidesradial wire-slots connected by a groove formed in and extending acrosssaid head, a sprocket-Wheel abutting against the end of said journal andhaving'a central aperture and wire-openiu gs, abolt passed through theapertures in said twister head and sprocket-wheel and having a nutscrewed on one end, and a cross-plate at the other end of said boltlying in said groove and having at opposite ends antifriction-rollersprojecting beyond 'the bottoms of said wire-slots, and means forrevolving said sprocket-wheels, substantially as described.

6. In a fence-machine, in'combination with an upright, a series oftwisters journaled therein, each of which comprises a twisterhead havinga journal provided with a flanged head and having a central apertureextending through the twister-head and in its opposite sides radialwire-slots, connected by a groove formed in and extending across saidhead, a sprocket-wheel abutting against the end of said journal andhavinga central aperture and wire-openings, a bolt passed through theapertures in said twister head and sprocket-wheel and having a nutscrewed on one end, a cross-plate at the other end of said bolt lying insaid groove and having its opposite ends recessed, and antifrictionrollers mounted in said recesses and projecting beyond the bottoms ofsaid wire-slots, and means for revolving said sprocket-wheels,substantially as described.

7. In a fence-machine, an upright having a series of circular openingsfrom opposite sides of each of which extend slots, one of each pair ofslots having a semicircular enlargement 7 communicating with said opening, a journal-bearing secured in each of said openings and comprising aring having on opposite sides tongues located in said slots and providedwith a semicircular offset fitting in said enlargement and with anannular flange bearing against the face of the upright, a series oftwisters, each of which comprises a twister-head journaled in said ringand having on opposite sides wire-slots provided with enlarged openingsand a sprocket wheel bolted to said twisterhead and abutting against theflange of said ring and having enlarged wire-openings, and means forrevolving the sprocket-wheels, substantially as described.

8. In a fence-machine, in combination with an upright having a series oftwisters revolubly mounted thereon and having a longitudinal slot, anarm having at one end an aperture and a widened portion provided with ahorizontally disposed curved slot, bolts passed through said apertureand curved slot, respectively, and through the slot in the upright andsecured by'nuts, andmeans mounted on the opposite end of said arm foroperating said twisters,substantially as described.

9. In a fence-machine, an upright having a series of twisters revolublymounted thereon each of which is provided with a sprocketwheel, an armmounted at one end on said upright and at its opposite end having a studprovided with an aperture extending through the arm, a drivingsprocket-wheel journaled on said stud and provided near opposite edgeswith an outwardly-extending projection and a stud, respectively, acrank-arm having a flattened extension journaled on said firstnamed studand provided with an aperture for receiving said last-named stud and inits end witha recess for receiving said projection, a washer, and a boltpassed through said washer and stud and secured by a nut, and asprocket-chain passed about said driving sprocket-wheel and thesprocket-wheels of the twisters, substantially as described.

10. In a fence machine, in combination with the upright having a slot atits lower end, a picket-rest comprising an apertured plate inserted insaid slot and having a plate extending at right angles thereto forsupporting the pickets, an upright flange formed integral with saidplates and adapted to bear against the face of the upright, and a boltpassed through the upright and said firstnamed plate, substantially asdescribed.

11. A wire-straining device for the purpose described, comprising ablock having a corrugated upper surface, each of which corrugations isprovided centrally of its bed with an aperture, a tension-plate bent toconform to the curvatures of said block andhaving similar apertures,bolts passed through the apertures in said tension-plate and block andhaving each a transverse head, a nut on each bolt, and means foranchoring said block.

12. A wire-straining device for the purpose described comprising a blockprovided with wire-grooves at its ends and having a corrugated uppersurface, a tension-plate bent to conform to the curvatures in said blockand means for clamping said plate on said block, projections on saidblock forming guards for said wire grooves, integral, parallel armsprojecting from one end of said block in the space between the groovesat that end, and a grooved pulley journaled between said arms,substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

WVILLIAM F. SEARGEANT.

Witnesses:

HENRY P. BRYANT, CLAY PERKINS.

